CORONA VIRUS & IMPACT ON MUMC

UPDATE 9/30/20


Friends and Family at MUMC
Unfortunately, we must inform you that multiple members of the MUMC Community have tested positive for COVID-19. Multiple others are quarantining because of contact with known infected persons. We know that some of those people testing positive have been on church premises, excluding the education wing and the basement youth area.

We also note that cases in Calhoun County have seen the steepest increase in cases between August 28th and September 29th as compared to any period since we began recording cases on March 17th.

John Hopkins University also reports that daily confirmed cases in Calhoun County have doubled over the previous week.

The MUMC COVID Team has decided the following:

  • After closing today, There's Enough Exchange Store will be closed temporarily for at least two weeks.
  • We will be temporarily stopping (for at least 2 weeks) all onsite worship services and activities in our facility, except for those in un-impacted areas. (For instance, Head Start’s staff will be notified, but Community Action will decide if their staff is able to work on the premises or by remote. No classes for children are in session at this time.) Effective immediately.
  • Worship services will continue on Facebook LIVE at 9 and 11am and WBCK radio at 10am. You can join on Sunday morning or anytime during the day or week.
  • Pastor Melany, Ministry Staff, and Media will be onsite to offer worship, but temporarily both the choir and band will be recorded again, rather than onsite.
  • The community-wide book study will continue in small groups on Zoom, as well as on Facebook LIVE on Fridays at 1pm with Pastor Melany.
  • All other small groups (including recovery groups) will be moved back to Zoom.
  • All staff and leadership will be working from home while meeting on Zoom.





Yes, this is frustrating...
and hard. 
As United Methodists, first and foremost we must "Do No Harm". 
As MUMC, our mission is to "Love Everyone, Everywhere".
As Christ-followers, we are commanded to "Love God and neighbor". 

We will be here for one another. 

  • So make a phone call, send a note or card, be thoughtful of others, and check-in often. 
  • We will be watching the science, praying for those infected, and continuing to be the church. 

We have not closed church. 

  • We have simply adapted church in order to keep everyone safe. 
  • This too shall pass. 





Matthew 28
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

- MUMC COVID Team
   Pastor Melany
   Mike Ancil, Leadership Council Chair
   Art Hill, Lay Leader
   Rachel Labram, Discipleship Director
   Ruth Ann Holmes, Office Manager

Section Title


CORONA VIRUS AND IMPACT ON MUMC


 

Marshall United Methodist Church’s Phase 4 COVID Re-Opening Plan

 

Marshall UMC has a phased re-opening plan in place. 

The re-opening plan was created with lead pastor, Melany Chalker, before she left, and is being implemented by a team of staff and lay leaders. 

 

The COVID Task Force includes:

Rachel Labram, Discipleship Director

Ruth Ann Holmes, Office Manager

Arthur Hill, Lay Servant

Mike Ancil, Leadership Committee Chair

 

We are now implementing “Phase 4” of the plan, which includes onsite worship.

 

Here are the safeguards MUMC has in place, effective July 5:

 

  • Physical Changes to the building:
    • Socially distanced seating
      • Sanctuary capacity = 87
      • Great Room Capacity = 130
    • Installation of Touch-Free Hand Sanitizers
    • Barriers (tables) limiting access to parts of the building
      • Reducing space that needs sanitized
    • Family Seating Areas Removed (temporarily) 
      • Outdoor Playground is open, to be used at each family’s discretion
      • Nursery is open for nurturing and fidgety kiddos, but not staffed

 

  • Cultural Changes for our Community:
    • Each person/family will be asked to check-in/sign-in at the entrance
      • So if any person onsite contracts COVID, we know who may potentially have been exposed
    • Offer a friendly head nod - No handshakes or hugs
    • BYOCoffee - No Coffee Hour or Coffee House
    • No nursery staff (furloughed w/ pay), nor onsite kidz programs
      • Kidz programs will remains online and in-home until further notice
    • Youth group and adult small groups still meeting on ZOOM
      • Recovery groups are meeting onsite, with safety protocols in place
      • Worship Music Teams are meeting on site to rehearse, with safety protocols in place
    • Onsite Offering by drop box or plate/basket in rear of worship spaces
      • No ‘passing the plate’
    • Single-serving communion available
      • Only when clergy is onsite to assist
    • Use outdoor space for conversations, no mingling in Welcome Centers
    • Masks must be worn until seated
      • No singing or voiced responses in worship without a mask
    • Attenders are encouraged to “pre-register” for worship via online form
      • Speeds up check-in/attendance procedure at door
      • Offers them the opportunity to gauge their comfort level before returning onsite
    • Temperature checks at door
      • Those with a temperate above100.3 are asked to worship online or on air for at least 2 more weeks
    • No handing out bulletins or Connection Cards, No hymnals or Bibles
      • Prayer Request slips and offering envelopes available in Narthex and Great Hall.

 

  • Increased, and re-trained, Hospitality Team:
    • Parking Lot Greeter
      • Ensuring families/couples/individuals enter the building with six ft of distance between each other, to avoid a cluster of people in the Welcome Center
    • Main Door Greeter
      • Checking-in attenders by taking temperatures and recording information. 
      • Also, offering masks to those without one
    • Worship space Greeter
      • Assisting groups in finding appropriately distanced seating. Remaining in back throughout service to answer questions
    • Restroom Monitor
      • Seated in hall between restrooms to ensure that only two people are in restrooms at a time
      • Invite families with children to use family restroom
    • Each position has an associated cleaning duty after worship
    • NO offering ushers, NO coffee house volunteers
    • MORE HOSPITALITY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
      • Contact Erin Geier (egeier715@gmail.com), Hospitality Coordinator, to sign up and take the online (video) training.  

 

 

 

 

 


For additional information, call the church office at 269-781-5107